PHOTOGRAPHER Nick Hedges depicted the lives of families living in dangerous conditions 45 years ago. Now, with help from homeless charity Shelter Scotland, he is trying to hear their stories.

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The collection of photographs, which were taken only 45 years ago by Nick Hedges for charity Shelter, depict the lives of families living in cold, damp and often dangerous conditions.

The search comes after the documentary photographer agreed to lift a 45 year restriction on the use of the photographs in Scotland.

Nick Hedges had originally limited their use – as many feature young children and their families – in order to protect the subjects - but now plans to meet with the subjects to hear their stories, and revisit the areas they once called home.

Large family in what was virtually a derelict flat in one of the last Gorbals Tenements

According to charity Shelter Scotland, which is helping to coordinate the search, many of those featured in the original photographs will now be aged between 50 and 70.

One image in the ‘Make Life Worth living’ collection, taken in 1970, shows a young girl sitting barefoot on a bed.

Behind her the walls are covered in damp and the fireplace in the corner is crumbling, covered in black soot.

Another shows a father cradling his son – the youngster’s bare legs covered in dirt – while the slum tenement crumbles around them.

Family in a ground floor tenement flat

A selection of the over 1,000 photographs are on display for the first time in Scotland in a free open air exhibition on St Andrew Square in Edinburgh.

The exhibition is sponsored by PwC and runs until 30th October.

Photographer Nick Hedges, said: "It would be wonderful to meet the children I photographed all those years ago and to hear their stories. I often wonder what happened to them, if they went on to lead happy and healthy lives.

"When I was commissioned by Shelter to take these photographs, I never imagined that decades later they would still have such impact - none more so than on me personally.

Large family in what was virtually a derelict flat in one of the last Gorbals Tenements

"The poverty and terrible conditions I witnessed shocked me to the core. My hope is that all these years later, by reconnecting with some of those I photographed, I am able to hear good news of what happened to the families.

"I guess you could say it would bring closure to the project some 45 years after it all began."

Nick Hedges, who is now in his 70s, was commissioned by Shelter in 1968. He spent three years visiting some of Scotland’s poorest and most deprived areas, documenting housing conditions and quashing the myth that only people on the streets are homeless.

Playing weddings in Glasgow

Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “I encourage anyone who recognises themselves, or family members and friends to get in touch with us. We want to hear the stories behind these iconic images, and in particularly what happened after they were taken.

“These photographs are a sobering piece of history not only for Shelter Scotland, but the nation as a whole and it’s important to preserve the stories behind them.

Child in slums

"They show us how far we have come in providing safe, secure and affordable housing to the people of Scotland, but also that we must do more for the tens of thousands of families and individuals still desperate for a home to call their own.”

He added: “Over 45 years after these pictures were taken, it is a mark of shame that almost 5,000 children in Scotland will wake up tomorrow homeless.”